


Tell Me You Love Me (Don't Leave)

by electrastylin



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, a lot of feelings happen, getting back together fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-16
Updated: 2014-07-16
Packaged: 2018-02-09 02:10:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1964967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/electrastylin/pseuds/electrastylin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry's ex of almost a year, Louis, shows up at Gemma's wedding as the best man to the groom. They resolve some feelings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tell Me You Love Me (Don't Leave)

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on a prompt on tumblr by tummyhand. Unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine. Happy reading. (:

Harry hasn't felt this stressed out in a long time. He has no idea how to plan a wedding, but he's found himself doing much more work than any of the organizers Gemma had hired. He'd been ecstatic about the wedding at first, proud of his sister for finding someone to settle down with forever. It had also sent a wave of jealousy and sadness washing over him, but he pushed it aside, choosing to just be happy for his sister. He likes Ashton too. He's a nice lad and Harry is glad to welcome him to the family. He just didn't think he would be stuck with most of the responsibility of planning the wedding.

He'd made the invitations, gone with Gemma to pick a cake, gone dress shopping with her, made the reservations for the ballroom, and ordered the flowers, making sure they were perfect. He'd also been there when Gemma had come crying to him about how what if Ashton left her at the altar and maybe it's too soon to be married.

And now he's the one that stuck with making sure that the placements of the plates and silverware on each of the tables is perfect.

He's close to screaming as he throws the table cloth over the table. The wedding organizer is trying to talk to him about how there aren't enough dinner forks for every table and how it would cost too much to order more for tonight.

“No,” He says, turning to look at the frazzled woman. He's sure he looks similar. “The table spread specifically calls for both a salad _and_ a dinner fork.” 

The woman nods dejectedly, turning around and walking away seemingly to make the order. Harry is just about to straighten out the cloth that's on the table when he hears a voice behind him.

“Just as meticulous as ever.”

He freezes for a moment before almost giving himself whiplash by turning around so quickly. He knows that voice. He'd spent three years of his life trying to memorize everything about that voice and he'll be damned if he forgot it so easily. Sure enough, as soon as he turns, Louis Tomlinson is standing behind him, smirking as if it hasn't been a little over a year since they'd last seen each other. His eyes are glittering as he looks Harry up and down. He looks unfairly hot in his suit which has the top two buttons undone and the tie just hanging around his neck. His hair is thrown back artfully into a quiff.

Harry's pissed. He tries not to let his shock and confusion show on his face but he's always been shit at hiding his emotions.

“What are you doing here,” he spits out, crossing his arms across his chest. This is last thing he needs at the moment. He's already stressed out trying to have everything put together so that everything goes smoothly tonight and if Louis Tomlinson has shown up uninvited there will be hell to pay.

“I suppose the groom's best man has to make an appearance, doesn't he,” Louis respondes, eyes twinkling with that little bit of mischief that Harry always loved.

He's fucked.

-

“Why didn't you tell me that Louis was going to be Ashton's best man?” Harry hisses at his sister as he helps her to zip up her dress. He'd stormed into her small dressing room planning on stomping his feet and throwing a fit, only to be asked to zip up her dress while the girls in the room fuss over her makeup and general appearance.

“I didn't know?” Gemma tries, shrugging her shoulder a little. It's an obvious lie, but Harry just zips her dress up the rest of the way and lets her look in mirror.

“Don't try that,” Harry says, squinting at her. “And isn't it a little early to be putting on your dress? The actual wedding isn't for another four hours.”

“Well, I need to make sure it fits, don't I.” She turns a little to look at her bum in mirror and Harry rolls his eyes.

“Don't change the subject here. Why didn't you tell me?” He pouts for dramatic effect, ignoring as one of Gemma's friends blatantly shoves him out of the way so that she can adjust Gemma's dress.

“I didn't think it would be that big of a deal,” Gemma replies flippantly.

Harry's eyes widen incredulously. “Not a big  _deal_ ?” He screeches. “Are you kidding me?” 

Gemma gives him a look, twisting her mouth to the side a little while all of her friends shush him. “We dated for three years and then he dumped me on my ass and you think it's not a big deal for him to show up at your wedding? I'm gonna have to sit next to him Gems, we're the best men.”

Gemma sighs, grabbing her dress dramatically and turning so that they're facing each other. “Maybe it'll be good for you two idiots!” She says, poking a finger at his chest. “It's obvious that neither of you are over the other and I'm bloody tired of you pining all over the place!”

Harry scoffs. “I'm pretty sure he's over me Gems. Or did you forget that he's the one that left me? He literally told me that we're better off apart. He's probably going to show up with a date tonight just to make me look stupid. You know him.”

Gemma just sighs. “You two are so dense.”

Harry sighs as well, helping her to unzip the dress. He drops the subject, praying that Louis doesn't show up with a date. Harry's not really sure how he'd be able to handle that.

-

“Harry!”

Harry whips around from where he's standing, just having finished tying his tie. Sure enough, Louis is walking towards him, tie hanging undone around his neck. His hair is still in a messy quiff and he looks a little frazzled. Harry tries to stop his heart from beating so fast.

“Louis,” Harry says politely. He doesn't want to look like he misses Louis as much as he does. If he's honest with himself, he's thought about Louis every day since the day he met him. He doubts that Louis even thinks about him anymore though, so he keeps that to himself. “Did you need something?”

Louis looks a bit surprised at Harry's tone, but Harry just smiles as best as he can.

“Um, no, not really. Just wanted to come over and say hi,” he says, looking timid as he begins to try and tie his own tie.

Harry just nods, looking at his fingers awkwardly. After a few minutes of awkward silence and Louis failing to tie his tie, Harry speaks up.

“Do you need help?” He asks, straightening up from where he'd begun to lean on one of the chairs that was near him.

Louis nods slightly, letting his hands drop to his sides weakly. He smirks when Harry steps forward, grabbing his tie and beginning to tie it. Harry clears his throat awkwardly, realizing how close they are to each other. Their feet are almost touching and Harry can feel the slight heat radiating from Louis' chest where his fingers are fixing his tie.

He focuses his eyes on Louis ties, only looking up as he's tightening it up around Louis neck.

“Is that good?” Harry asks, keeping his hands on the knot in case Louis wants him to loosen it. It has nothing to do with his need for physical contact with the boy that he admittedly is still quite in love with, thank you very much.

“Yeah,” Louis says breathlessly. “That's fine.”

Harry nods, fixing Louis' collar and trying to ignore his fast beating heart. He hasn't talked to Louis in almost a year, let alone been this close to him, but it still has the same effect on him. Louis still has the same effect on him. He kind of hates it.

“There you go,” Harry smiles, taking a step back to look at his handy work.

Suddenly, Louis' hands are in his hair and their lips are pressed together firmly. For a moment, Harry forgets everything in the entire world. He forgets Louis' excuses and claims of not being able to love him like he wanted to. He forgets Louis telling him that they're better off apart from each other. He forgets his months of moping and crying and he kisses Louis back. It only lasts for a few seconds before he finds his head again and pushes Louis away a little bit more roughly than intended.

“What the fuck?” He questions loudly, wiping his now spit slick mouth with the back of his hand.

“I-” Louis stares at him, eyes wide, like he can't believe that Harry would push him away. Harry feels a little smug. “I, um, I just thought that-”

“Just thought what?” Harry asks, feeling his anger returning. “That you could just come back here and kiss me and apologize and I'd run back into your arms like some love struck teenage girl? That you could show up and fucking make everything better?”

Louis takes a step back, obviously surprised by Harry's small outburst. Even Harry is a little surprised by it, but he has every right to be angry. Louis had thrown away a three year relationship with some bullshit excuses about needing space.

“No-Haz, I just, I didn't think that-” Louis starts to ramble, stepping forward.

“That's the problem, isn't it. You didn't think,” Harry says, shaking his head. “Did you think before you broke up with me, Louis? Did you think before you broke my fucking heart and out me on the streets without a glance backwards? Hm? Because I sure thought afterward. Thought about every little thing I ever did wrong. How much I pushed you. How clingy I was. How I was probably the reason that you left me. How I was stupid for believing that you were the _one._ And you know what, when you sat me down, I had the stupidest idea in my head that you were going to purpose. That maybe you actually wanted to marry _me_. And you wanna come in here, with your stupid smile, and stupidly beautiful face, and just kiss me and try to get back together? Fuck that,” Harry spits.

He takes a deep breath. He's been holding back all of that since Louis broke up with almost a year ago, and it feels unbelievably good to be able to get it all out in the open. He looks up, resisting the strong urge to grab Louis and bring him close to him.

“I-Harry, please listen to me, ok?” Louis says, putting his hands up in front of him. “Just let me explain.”

“You had your opportunity a year ago, Lou,” Harry says, trying to stop himself from crying. All he wants is to sit down and let Louis explain everything to him. He just wants to understand what happened between them. He just wants to understand everything. And mostly he just wants to kiss Louis again. To feel the electric shock in his lips and his heart rate pick up. He wants to feel the soft curve of Louis' hip underneath his fingertips. But he knows better. He doesn't want to let himself be hurt again. He can't handle another break from Louis. He's still not over the first one.

“I'm sorry Lou,” He says softly. “We'll talk later, yeah?”

Louis just nods, looking at his feet. Harry knows he's trying not to cry and it takes everything that Harry has not to pull him into his chest and comfort him. Instead he brushes his hand gently over Louis' on his way out of the door and pretends that he doesn't hear Louis sniffle.

-

Louis doesn't act any different after the incident. He lines up next to Harry as they take their places to walk into the chapel and smiles at him as if nothing happened. Harry sighs to himself, smiling back and trying to ignore how good Louis is at ignoring his emotions.

Louis looks even better than he did earlier too, and Harry really has to focus on something that isn't him in order to not make a fool out of himself. Louis' hair is done up into a swirl that's falling onto his forehead slightly and his suit is tailored perfectly to his body, showing off the slight curve of his hips and his tiny waist. Harry tries really hard not to stare at him, although he knows Louis is staring at him.

He decides that he really is gonna talk to Louis, after the wedding and during the reception, because despite how much Louis hurt him, and how dumb he still feels, he just wants to talk to Louis again.

-

The wedding goes without a hitch. Gemma looks gorgeous in her dress with her hair done and her makeup perfect and Ashton cries while he says his vows and Gemma calls him a nerd while holding back tears herself. All in all it went fantastically, and Harry gives a long and sappy speech that makes Gemma cry and Ashton calls her a nerd in return. It's all very beautiful.

Harry is dancing with Gemma, having finally gotten a chance since Ashton had refused to let her go,when he spots Louis sitting on the bench outside, champange glass in his hand. He's staring up at the sky, which is dark by now. Harry feels a twinge of guilt, stopping his movement by accident. Gemma looks at him and follows his line of vision, which he tries to direct to something else. Gemma isn't having it though.

“Go and talk to him,” Gemma whispers to him, pushing him towards the door gently. “You two idiots need to talk it out.”

Harry just nods, swallowing heavily. He kisses her check gently, reminding her to use a condom cheekily before handing her over to Ashton, who's blushing.

He laughs, walking towards the door to the outside garden, noticing how sad Louis looks before even opening the door. He takes another breath before pushing the door open.

It's warm outside. Not too hot but not cold at all. It's Harry's favorite kind of night. He can smell the moisture in the air, and days like this are kind of rare in England. He wishes they weren't.

Louis looks up as soon as he hears the door open, setting his glass down when he sees who it is. He gives Harry a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes as Harry sits down next to him on the bench.

“Are you gonna tell me off again?” Louis asks, raising his eyebrows. “I mean, you have every right to, if you are. I'm surprised you didn't when we broke up.”

Harry sighs. “I'm sorry, Lou,” he says. “You didn't deserve to be yelled at.”

“I kind of did, love,” Louis says sadly, grabbing his drink and taking a sip. “I was a right arse, wasn't I.”

Harry's not sure whether he's referring to just earlier, or their breakup, so he doesn't say anything, just nods.

“It wasn't you, you know,” Louis says quietly. “I know that sounds dumb, but really, it wasn't you at all. You weren't too clingy or whatever you think you were. And you didn't push me away. I just. I got scared, Haz,” he turns to look at Harry, eyes wide. Harry's feeling a little dizzy with the realization that maybe everything that he thought was wrong. “I got really scared. I just wanted to be everything for you, ya know. I wanted to be able to provide for you and to give you everything you needed and I just, I couldn't do it. I had just gotten fired and I couldn't even bring myself to tell you and I got myself so worked about because I was so sure that you were gonna break up with me and I figured if I did it first, it wouldn't hurt as much. God, it was just, the stupidest thing I've ever done, Haz. I don't think I've ever regretted doing anything more than I regret breaking up with you. I thought about calling you and begging for you to come back but I just. I let my thoughts take over ya know. I convinced myself it was better this way and that you didn't need me and well, yeah. I'm just, so sorry.”

Harry's jaw is slack by the time Louis is done speaking. He's not even sure what to say to anything that Louis has told him, and now everything that he thought about the break up was completely untrue.

“Why didn't you just tell you got fired?” Harry asks, anger filling him because a year of heartbreak could've been avoided if Louis had just told him. “What the fuck kind of reason is that?”

“I don't know Harry!” Louis yells, standing up and staring down at him. “What the fuck do you want from me? I was fucking scared.”

“I thought you didn't love me anymore! You arse! I thought that I had ruined everything and that it was all _my_ fault! I thought you didn't want me anymore!” Harry yells back, standing up as well. 

His standing is pointless though because almost as soon as he's standing, Louis is pushing him down onto the bench, straddling his hips and smashing their lips together. Harry moans slightly, grabbing Louis' hips tightly as Louis tangles his fingers through Harry's hair. He doesn't even try to stop himself this time, prying Louis' mouth open and shoving his tongue inside. Louis happily allows it, making a small noise in the back of his throat. 

“I could never stop wanting you, god,” Louis mumbles against his lips, kissing him sloppily between syllables. “Want you so much,” He pants, unbottoning Harry's suit. “I missed you every day. I couldn't stop thinking about you.” He finally gets it open, running his hands over Harry's chest where he's still got his dress shirt on. “I never stopped loving you.” 

Harry inhales sharply, looking up into Louis' eyes to make sure that he really just heard that. Louis' eyes are glistening slightly, and Harry can tell he's not lying. 

“God, I never stopped loving you either, you idiot.” 

Louis presses their lips together again, less sloppily this time. He moves his mouth against Harry's slowly, lovingly. Harry wraps his arms around Louis waist tightly, pulling him in closer. Louis' knees hit the back of the bench, but their kiss doesn't break until they hear the door to the reception hall opening and someone clearing their throat loudly. 

Ashton is standing in the doorway, eyebrows raised, and mouth slightly open, but smiling. 

“I'm not even gonna say anything,” he says, shaking his head as Louis climbs from Harry's lap, blushing furiously. “Me and Gemma are leaving soon and we'd appreciate if you two weren't fucking while we're leaving.”

Harry coughs awkwardly, nodding. “Right. We'll be in in just a second.” 

Ashton just shakes his head again, snorting in disbelief before going back inside. 

Louis groans, pressing his face into Harry's shoulder. “He's never gonna let me live this down.” 

Harry laughs, tangling his fingers through Louis'. He feels so content he could burst. Louis' fingers still fit perfectly with his and he knows that their tattoos still match up when the hold hands. He closes his eyes for a second, just absorbing the feeling of Louis close to him again. 

“Just wait until Gemma finds out.” 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you guys think! (: 
> 
> tumblr:donnyshire


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